Paradigm Shift
by nonoji
Summary: Alternate history/fantasy AU. Four not quite honest youths meet in dystopian London where the rebels are attempting to progress forbidden technology. Meanwhile in decadent Edo, the Empire is gradually losing its grip.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimers-** don't own, don't sue, AU setting, may contain more than hints of slash. Please read author notes at the bottom if confused.

* * *

**Chapter One: Kurama**

_Kyoto, Japan- 1999_

Minamino Shuichi, heir to the Minamino inheritance, aged eight, prodigy of several fields and currently awaiting verdict of his trial, contemplated on his studies to distract himself from his immediate situation.

On the thirty second year of emperor Kokau's reign (1812 in the Gregorian calendar), history was altered forever. Namely, the history of the human world could no longer be without the influence that was caused in this year. As America declared war on the British Empire, as Napoleon attempted invasion of Russia, a single man entered the Tokugawa court of Edo and introduced exotic treasures and technology thousands of years ahead of their time. To the uneducated, what he brought was magic.

The immense treasures this man offered ranged from music playing boxes to entertain the nobility, to weapons that could destroy cities with a mere turn of a knob, to tools that could have people read minds, implant memories, and alter them. The possibilities this man presented to the shogun was immeasurable, and by the time Perry brought the black ships to the harbour in Yokosuka, the land of the rising sun was so confident in their superiority that they answered the demand by decimating the foreigners that dared to address them in such an impudent manner. The following years were an unbalanced war which ended with most of the Americas and Western Europe in ruins, and an agreement with the British that made the kingdom still suffer to this day from their restrictions.

Although the event of 1812 was debatably the single most significant incident in human existence, the information on the man could hardly be considered thorough or accurate. All sources agreed that he was striking in appearance, with long silver hair and was noted to be extraordinarily sharp. Some scrolls went on to say not only was his instruments remarkable, but he himself had abilities which could only be possible by supernatural means. By the records of the royal library, it is presumed he resided in court and disappeared without ceremony sometime before the death of the emperor Ninko. The rest was filled with the bias of the scholars. Some theorise that he returned to where he came from, some say he was assassinated while others speculate he simply moved on to prefer obscurity.

It was not surprising that the existence of such a man was a closely guarded secret, as the materials he brought were the key to Japan's power. The Japanese took credit for the strange devices he left behind, and to most of Japan and the rest of the world, Japan was a nation with capabilities beyond their imagination. Shuichi himself would not have known better if he were not one of the few born into the privilege of a court education.

This withholding of information may have been the correct course a century ago, but now in Heisei 11(1999), the actions of the Japanese seemed purposefully contrary from the perspectives of the occupied lands.

Even with generations of the best minds dedicating their lives to it, the mechanism of the devices proved impossible to replicate. The base materials from which these were made from were neither possible to create or find anywhere in the world. The instruments rusted, the fuel needed for them to function became sparse, and the Japanese empire was feeling the beginning of its fall.

It was a year ago that his fudai lord father was sent to subdue the western rebels. His army never returned.

In court, the position of the Minamino house became precarious, and the whispered accusations slowly increased and grew louder. His mother was subtly made outcast by the other courtiers, and while he used to be praised for his dedication to his studies and was even once considered for adoption by the childless imperial family, now he was instead called unnatural, and his nonhereditary foreign appearance was looked upon with distrust.

Finally, the day came when his mother fell ill. He could smell the poison, and could even estimate the exact components from his hypersensitive senses, but the doctors were unshakable in their pronouncement that the cause was natural and incurable. Desperate, he researched without rest but as bright as he was, he was only a child. On the third day after diagnosis, his mother passed away.

Shortly following his mother's funeral, the emperor's mirror was discovered in his room. The significance was in the action, rather than the object. The mirror was nothing but a trinket that could easily be replaced, but the unsavoury action that was disregarding the code of conduct for his stature and the impertinence of stealing from the symbol of their power made the vicious remarks righteous.

There was no one who would care for his innocence. Even before their downfall, the Minamino name was too powerful to not have acquired enemies.

He wondered whether he should have cried. Acting his age had never come easily but he knew his complete lack of emotion did not help in making himself appear unthreatening.

The guards returned to collect him.

* * *

_A/N_

Short, I know.

This story and its ideas originated from two different trains of thought. The first, the more relevant one is that this was intended to be linked to my crossover fic, Pretentious Professional Liars (originally Pretentious Professional Bullshitters but we can't have profanity in the title, can we?). In the fic, Kaitou Yuu lands a twelve episode TV dramatisation deal of one his more shittier works, and the casting of the show eventually affects the main plot. I needed a story which Kaito would not be particularly proud of, that he wrote for the shits and giggles, never intending it to be published, and to make fun of Kurama without endangering him. In Kaitou's novel, the characterizations are very close to the people they were inspired from, but the TV show butchers canon and has Kurama played by a woman although the gender of the character is left ambiguous. Hiei is played by a pro wrestler debuting his acting career, Yuusuke's actor is a Johnnies Jr boy band idol, and Kuwabara is played by a shota-bait extraordinaire child actor. The TV adaption disregards most of the science lingo geekery from the book and adds a whole lot of UST scenes that was nonexistent in the original.

Naturally, I'm going with writing the TV version.

The other reason for writing this was that I really wanted a steam punk au, which this first chapter definitely is not. When the setting moves to London, hopefully you'll think differently. Anyway, I suck, so I encourage others to write more of this genre.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Hiei**

_London, England- 2010_

First Night

Though sought out would have been stating it too strongly, it was not entirely by chance that he happened upon the place.

Early evening had the pleasure quarter gradually waking, with servants making their way lighting red lanterns that swayed with the vicious wind. The locals were a varied lot; from the expected maikos and geishas with their dyed black hair showing lighter roots, to the stubborn top hat toting traditionalist paupers that refused to let go of their origins, they all bustled from one place to another, strutting importantly and pretending strangers cared about their miserable lives. The weather tried its best to dissuade them from leaving their homes but despite it, people emerged to wander curiously in search of amusement or opportunity. There was music playing from different competing establishments and the smell of food mingled with the stench of the drunks, adding to the depth of atmosphere only realised by people living out their entire years in a single location.

At the very edge of this district, an old man prepared to close his store of second hand books, stacking piles from the display on the street and giving furtive glances to the whorehouse opposite. His wife called to him from inside his shop, ending his decision before he had given serious consideration. The old man hobbled inside, briefly out of view before leading a young girl out as he informed her that they were closing. The girl bowed her head in acceptance then tentatively joined the growing crowd that had gathered to view the first appearance of the night. Her western style leather shoes and cape marked her as upper middleclass. Gloved fingers fiddled anxiously as she tried to keep herself inconspicuous. Although from where he stood, her face was obscured by the bonnet she wore, he could guess she was likely fresh out from finishing school and had no idea what to expect from her wait. If she was from as typical a life as she dressed to be, she should have been pushing to meet prospective husbands, not looking to see if any available yuujo interested her.

The back of the display box opened, causing the crowd to explode in cheer. As the working women slid to their seats, the men on the streets grew even louder, whistles and obscene suggestions shouted at the silent entertainers. One lit her kiseru, blowing tobacco smoke into the faces of the men from between the wooden bars. She smiled impishly at the coughing men, but the smile was soon gone at their lack of outrage and renewed calls.

"Kurama!" the girl suddenly cried, latching on to the lacquered frame as she ignored the stares from around her.

There was only one brightly haired entertainer sitting in the display, and it was her that replied to the one so out of place. "Miss Maya," she acknowledged, sounding both exasperated and resigned, "you should not be here when it is getting so dark. Have you a carriage to take you home? Perhaps you could come inside to call your family. I'm sure they are worried."

"But I have money," the young girl said, proving her innocence and idiocy by announcing it in front of the unsavoury audience.

"Which you will not be spending here. Please be sensible miss, this is no place for you."

The girl frowned, stamped her foot, and then tossed her head as she turned to enter the building.

Hiei, until then playing the unseen observer, quickly moved to catch the shutting door and followed the stomping teenager inside.

He ignored the kneeling woman that came to welcome him in, and stepped up onto the raised floor and followed the voice of the girl through the corridor. He stopped, took a moment to take in his surroundings. The interior was more lavish than suggested from outside- a sophisticated merging of Far East meets west, spacious, the recently waxed oak boards reflecting the modern brass lights. Every surface that could possibly be polished was gleaming. Not a speck of dust. The exotic houseplants set by every door grew tall and luscious. The temperature was set comfortably warm, and the air had a subtle scent of perfume.

He resumed his walk at a more leisurely pace, locating the hum of youki with less difficulty than on the streets.

"But I can pay! Take it!" the girl's cry became louder.

"Be reasonable," another voice pleaded. He recognised it as the red haired Kurama. The conversation that followed was murmured in her ear, probably meaning to distract the young human. When he arrived to the scene, the Maya girl was back to acting the timid schoolgirl, and was ushered on her way towards a room further inside by an old woman.

Kurama turned, their eyes met.

He felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine and wondered how he could have ever doubted himself. This Kurama had the eyes of what a mob boss could only dream of possessing. It could intimidate, force respect and fear with a single look. Hiei stepped forward, refusing to acknowledge how unnerved he'd felt and only now noticed that Kurama was in fact male. There was no attempt at disguise, but until then he had not seen beyond the elaborately styled hair and the kimono of a high class whore.

The moment passed. Hiei relaxed and Kurama's face formed into the guise of a harmless human.

Taking time in facing him, Kurama gave a bland, impersonal smile before bowing smoothly. "Welcome, sir. Would I be wrong in presuming this is your first visit to our humble home?"

The old woman was back. "If you would follow me to the waiting room sir, we can explain the way things are done here."

That was the last he saw of him that night. After a delicately phrased explanation that recommendations from three current members, proof of regular high income of a respectable profession (no politicians), background (no nouveau riche, criminals, or Christians) and health check was needed in order to even be considered being added to their exclusive client list, he found himself outside.

The drunks and paupers were still making noise being entertained by women who did nothing but sit.

He left, planning how he would get his meeting with the demon. Forged identity was no challenge at all. What concerned him was that the redhead's face was vaguely familiar. If there was a chance of them having already met, it was better to be prepared and know of whom he faced.

. . .

Second Night

When he finally managed to make an appointment, he was disappointed to find that it was two ordinary humans that were assigned to his room. One played the koto as the other poured his drinks. They were pretty enough, but that was irrelevant. The banquet before him remained untouched.

"I asked for Kurama."

The two girls glanced at each other in silent conference. The one with the instrument spoke, "Kurama-han is very sought after. He will be arriving after he has made himself suitable for your presence, sir."

Meaning he was still with his previous client.

"Tell me about him while we wait."

Again, the two eyed each other. This time, it was the sake girl who spoke, "Kurama-han was favoured by the previous Oiran and learned directly from her. If he had so wished, he could have easily been her successor. He is the only male among us, and was first employed as a servant."

The koto girl looked sharply to the other in warning. She gave a tiny shake of her head, and the other gave a single nod in understanding. They were terrified of him, though they masked it well.

He felt youki steadily approaching and wondered if they felt it too. It was not unheard of for humans to become sensitive when in constant contact with demonic energy.

"Would you care for more?" the sake girl asked as she was obligated to do.

Just as he was about to reply, a gentle voice announced its presence from behind the shoji screen. "Kurama has arrived."

The paper door slid open to reveal the man sitting neatly in the traditional seiza position, with knees together, hands in front and ankles tucked underneath. His head was bowed to the floor, waiting.

For several seconds, no one moved. The two girls looked to him expectantly.

"Come in," Hiei said, wondering at the extent of stupidity in human customs.

Instead of standing, Kurama slid inside in one graceful movement without changing the position of his legs. An irritated expression passed momentarily before he masked it with a bland smile.

He dismissed the two humans with a glance. They quickly made their exit, careful not to turn their backs.

Kurama watched them leave, and then bowed again. "Thank you for your request, sir." He straightened, pleasant expression still fixed on his face. "Would you care for a game of shogi?"

Hiei shrugged. He knew the rules, but never had the occasion to play. He wanted to know where this was leading to. As he watched Kurama prepare the board, he noticed the quality of kimono the paramour wore. He was a thief- he could see treasure when he saw one, and although this kimono was less vibrantly coloured (probably to hint at his masculinity), it easily had an additional three digits to its price from the things the two humans from before were made to wear.

"Why have they named you Kurama?" he asked in Japanese.

"They?" Kurama said, switching effortlessly into the language. "Yes, the origin of my naming did not come from one source." The demon openly scrutinised him, waiting for a reaction. Lashes lowering he continued, "I named myself Kurama when I arrived here."

He spoke in a fluent Kyoto dialect, which mildly impressed Hiei for its detail in mimicking the ways of the home country, until he noticed it wasn't the flowery imitation of court utilized by the entertainers, but the formal style of true nobility. Wherever Kurama had learned the language from was not here, and not merely so he could amuse his patrons.

He thought on the contradictions of the two claims and came to the conclusion that if both were true, there had been a point in time when the 'Kurama' persona was lost, and that upon picking this profession, Kurama had willingly reused his old name. This implied he was not in hiding but if he was not, the question arose of why he would choose such a degrading way of living. Everything else about him seemed to fit his guess.

He spoke carefully, "I heard of a youko, a silver fox, going by that name."

Kurama seemed not to have heard him. He stared at his game and gently moved his piece. Still keeping the same position, he spoke as though in a trance, "I wonder, we are the product of our environment and our genes, but surely there must be more to us- how much can we consciously shape who we are? Are we truly only at the whims of external forces?"

"I am not here to discuss philosophy." He took his piece and placed it down.

The voice suddenly lost its breathy inflection, became sharper and an octave lower. For the first time, he heard Kurama's natural voice. "To business? Then I will ask- is there a reason we are speaking in this language?"

They did not allow his sword, but it did not mean he was defenceless. He shifted in his seat to better prepare him for a possible fight. "Ten or so years ago, I was hired to poison a woman by the name of Minamino Shiori. She had a son. He would look around your age."

There was a shocked silence, broken a second later by brittle laughter. "You won't allow me any secrets. So what now? Threats will do you no good."

He shrugged. "What I do next depends on you."

Kurama looked him over. "What I will do for tonight, is my job." He placed one hand on his obi. As was styled by the people of his profession, it was tied at the front in a simple yet flamboyant knot. For easy access.

"Then I won't stop you," Hiei replied, and stood to leave. He felt himself pause despite himself, just as he was about to reach the door.

"If you intend on ever returning here, I advise you to pay your fee before leaving." He let a beat go before adding, "Forbidden Child." Kurama was looking at him over one shoulder, expression better suited to a coquettish flirtation than the barely veiled confrontation they had gone through mere moments ago.

"You knew," Hiei said tonelessly.

"Of course."

He withdrew several notes, and dropped it on the floor without counting them. He left, not looking back.

. . .

* * *

A/N:

Okay, so every fandom has their band!au, highschool!au, and vampire!au. Much like its sister genre slave!au, whore!au seems secondary in popularity but I thought I might as well do a brief search anyway to see if I'm stepping on anyone's toes. I admit my search was half-hearted, so I apologise if this has in fact already been done to death. Hopefully, by adding the dominant Japanese culture-desu-desu in omg fantasy London1!11!, I've set this one uniquely enough that it isn't too much of a problem. Kurama won't be working there for long, anyway.

Vocab List In Case You Care

Maiko- A geisha in training.

Yuujo- a woman of the night

Kiseru- A thin, long, elegant tobacco pipe

Koto- traditional string instrument

(Kurama)-han- san in dialect

Oiran- High class courtesans of Yoshiwara. In this 'verses setting, also the title given to the most highly ranked and popular courtesan of her house regardless of location. Has certain privileges and respect that others don't.

Shoji- Sliding paper screens dividing tatami rooms

Seiza- A formal, traditional way of sitting. Used in such practices as tea ceremonies, martial arts, and calligraphy, to name just a few.

Shogi- A board game, often likened to chess

Obi- kimono sash

My, that was a long list. I'm not being meticulous with accuracy, so don't _you_ take this fic too seriously, yo.

. . .

Next episode- Hiei Continued: Third Night, and First Day

_"What have you planned, world domination?"_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Hiei Continued**

_London, England- 2010_

Third Night

Several months had passed since his previous visit to the brothel. He was reluctant to return, but he knew prolonging the situation further would put him at a disadvantage. Although he was still sceptical of him being the silver bandit of legend, the demon calling himself by the same name was dangerous in his own right, and to have him unobserved without knowing exactly where he stood would be risky.

For that one moment when they had first met, he had been convinced that he was looking at the genuine thief from the stories, but as the memory of the intensity of his eyes faded, so had his confidence in his judgement. It was the same as his encounter with another fox more than two hundred years ago.

Like so many others of his kind, that one had also claimed to be Kurama. At the time, Hiei was under the care of a nameless formerly three horned demon that everyone simply referred to as the keeper.

Keeper was a once powerful old man who sealed his energy and drugged his food but otherwise left him to do as he liked. The independence granted came not from his kindness, but from the demon's deteriorating mind. Before his obsession with collecting living oddities, a rumour emerged of certain properties being a potent aphrodisiac, which eventually ended with the loss of his prized horns. The keeper's one remaining ability that kept him alive was his psyche that connected directly to his swamp castle. If anyone were to risk shaking his nerves, anything, from the floors collapsing to the rooms filling with lethal gas could occur. The effects were unpredictable, and not one of his many captives had been able to figure an escape.

Most learned to accept their situation. After all, they had relative freedom to spend their time as they liked. Keeper rarely showed his face, staying within a single room and sluggishly moving only to do the barest necessities for living.

The night the silver fox came, the keeper's movements were brisk. He stood from his wheelchair with his own two feet and his moss covered jaw moved to practice speaking as he brushed down dirt from his yellowed clothes. The walls brightened, and large pipes appeared to bring in air directly from above ground.

Whatever he had hoped for did not pass however as when the fox finally arrived, he gave one brief look around before he declared that he had wasted time. Every step was confident, sure of his skill in leaving. The ones still sane cried desperately for him to take them, seeming not to notice that they were all ignored. The keeper, after calling the guards and failing that, resorting to begging, as a last attempt to keep him from going, clutched Hiei by the back of his neck and swung him down by his feet. He cried, "A forbidden child!"

It was enough to make the fox give pause. The keeper continued, "His mother was a koorime. They say a forbidden child can give curses that pass beyond death."

The silver youko knelt down to Hiei's level. "Is that true?" He asked.

It took longer than it should for the words to sink in. All he could see was one bright spot glittering in a world full of faded colours. The sedative in his veins were overtaken by a strong impulse to shout, to see blood, to sink his fingers into flesh until no sign of life remained. His hands tensed, almost succeeding but not quite curling enough to form a clenched fist.

The fox that called himself Kurama sighed. He addressed the keeper without turning, "he's nothing special. A child like this can be found anywhere."

His nails dug into his palm. The pain provoked him into seeing. For the first time in years, blurred shapes sharpened to reveal their actual forms.

Silver strands, as fine as cobwebs moved with the breeze.

He knew then that he would escape.

-Focusing back to the present with the brothel, the demon, and the sickening smell of humans living in their own filth.

Meaning only to arrange for a meeting, he was surprised to be received immediately by one of the lower servants. Greying yet retaining some of the appeal she must have once exuded, the servant stood tall, sharp eyes not betraying even a hint of emotion. Abruptly turning, she silently motioned for him to follow.

A petite courtesan raised an over-plucked eyebrow as she slid by.

The servant answered her silent query, "he is passing to the side."

"Whose?"

"Kurama-han."

The prissy powdered face gave way into astonishment. "Are you sure?"

The servant bobbed her head, and hurried on her way before any more questions could delay them further. She led them up to the third floor, where the swirling jewelled décor was replaced by stark practicality.

"Passing to the side- what does that mean?" Hiei asked.

The servant ignored him in favour of picking through her keys on the large metal ring attached to her waist. Locating the one she wanted, she unlocked a western style wooden door and gestured for him to enter. As soon as he was inside, she snapped the door shut.

The room was barren and clinically white. It lacked the glamour of the previous visit, which to him was only an improvement.

Curtains hid wooden bars on the single window, and he had already heard the locking of the door. All that filled the room was a thin mattress shoved carelessly in a corner. It was not a serious effort at imprisonment, and he was sure Kurama knew better if he was the one behind the action.

The best thing to do was to wait. He sat with his back against the wall and closed his eyes.

He should not have revealed his connection to Minamino Shiori's assassination. It was said impulsively with the intention of gauging his reaction which thinking back, was not all that important. Once it was known that Kurama knew of Hiei's identity, the possibility of retribution was realistic, even expected.

Near sunrise, he felt youki approaching, exactly as he had the last time. Thinned eyes with shoulders tensed, he waited. Keys jangled behind the door, and soon without fuss, it opened to the sight of Kurama.

There he stood, one hand holding a bucket of water and in the other, a towel. In a loose cotton shirt and trousers, smelling of human sweat, his intricately twisted hair falling to tickle the nape of his neck, the picture he created was soft. Deceptively delicate as though he'd never had to fight for his life.

"Why am I here?" Hiei asked.

"That would be my line. You were the one who came. I only provided the room."

"No posturing with all the petty rituals like last time? Why this room, what changed is what I am asking you."

Kurama released a small sigh as he swept away stray wisps from his face. "What you left didn't even cover a quarter of what was owed. You've been barred as a client."

It seemed that was all he intended to reveal. He placed the bucket and cloth on the floor and straightened, eyes taking in whatever he saw, analysing, taking him apart, weighing one thing against another.

Eventually, he sat down and asked in a lighter tone, "So what can I do for you? You're obviously not here for regular business."

There was no correct way to answer. Brutal honesty, saying that he came to determine whether Kurama intended to do anything against him came off as weak. He crossed his arms and frowned.

Kurama tried again, "If I offended you, I'm willing to apologise but I'd like to know the reason."

"What you called me. Where did you hear it?"

"Forbidden Child? I thought it would be obvious."

"Enlighten me."

Kurama shifted to sit more comfortably. Too close, but voicing it would derail the conversation.

"For some time now, there were talks of kidnappings across the West. The victims were interrogated for information on a young girl, Yukina. Short stature, red eyes, light hair possibly blue or white and linked to any incidents of rapid healing. By the kidnapper's description, she is most likely a koorime. This kidnapper was said to be male, but had the unusual eyes that matched with the description of the girl he was looking for."

At the look he was given, Kurama laughed. "You don't look convinced. Fine, a different approach; you told me that I 'knew' when we last met, but a better phrasing was that I 'remembered'."

It couldn't be.

A playful look, chin resting on knuckles.

Hiei leaned the slightest bit forward. "How did you know about the kidnappings? It was never announced publicly."

"My clients."

"Your clients?"

"Do you really think I would be satisfied with monetary gain? The true objective of this place is information monitoring. Pull a little from here, trickle a little over there. The selection of patrons is based on social placement and political usefulness. Everything else is secondary."

"And they get sex from you in return. I doubt it's worth it."

"Careful, you almost sound curious. The patrons get the status of joining what they think is an exclusive list of only the most respectable people in Europe. They're mistaken of course, but it keeps them in line."

"Is this place affiliated to any organisation?"

"No. Are you going to ask me why I'm letting you interrogate me?"

"No," he said, and then paused. This man was a nuisance, but useful. The danger he posed wasn't immediate. He could dispose of Kurama as soon as he found Yukina. "How much are you?" His mouth uttered the words before he knew what he was doing.

In an instant, the fox's demeanour changed. With narrowed eyes, he stated, "you don't mean for the night, do you." He lowered his head. "My freedom is not for sale. For now, please leave. Come back in a month."

. . .

_London- 2011_

First Day

A month was too vague a date. He didn't know if he needed to make arrangements to meet like before, or if he would be welcomed inside as he was the last time. As he neared the pleasure quarters, the smell of smoke overpowered the usual stink, and the afternoon sky was darkened into a thick, ash grey.

The fox left through the back entrance, with a leather case slung over one shoulder. As he descended the steps, the roaring fire brightened his glossy hair into an unnatural crimson that had not been obvious previously. He looked striking, not of this world. How he could claim to be a thief when his appearance was so conspicuous, he had no idea.

Hands flattened to keep his coat from flapping, Kurama turned to look one last time at the building he had lived in, indifferent to the rapidly spreading inferno that would eventually consume the whole district.

"Forbidden Child," he greeted, looking pleased but distracted. With the panicked screams, the shouts from the firemen and the crowd, he could only read the movements of Kurama's mouth.

"Hiei," He corrected after being close enough to be heard. "I'm going to find my sister." And you are going to help me. "What will you do?" What are you going to demand for payment?

"Take His Imperial Majesty's head." His steps were light.

"What have you planned, world domination?"

"How crass," Kurama laughed, but he did not deny it.

They ran, two shadows unnoticed by the crowd of restless humans.

* * *

A/N

"Passing to the side"- non paying client. ie lover

Sorry for the delay. Real life and also the fact I accidentally read the most brain bleach worthy fic kept me away from posting this earlier. I now fully understand the necessity of warnings. I thought I was thick skinned for unusual kinks but ...wow. So with that appreciation for warnings- I will state that this fic is Kurama-relationship centric, but won't have a main pairing. Yusuke and Hiei will play prominent parts, but no one will be exclusive. Or that's what I'm planning for the moment. I might change my mind later on. Yukina and Kuwabara is part of the main cast, and other characters will be in supporting roles.

I know Maya was portrayed pretty brattily in chapter two, but I actually like her. There's not going to be intentional flaming of characters in this fic, but it won't mean I'll make them act like angels (which I guess is quite obvious by now). Any selfishness/bastardliness/bitchiness is written with love, and any ooc is hopefully explained with the au setting and the difference in the way they were brought up.

The OC's parts will be kept to a minimum, but some will have to appear just for the sake of making the world feel like there's more than five people.


End file.
